1 Glendale – Los Angeles Garden River Bridge MND - MMRP Resolution 1 7
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3 RESOLUTION NO. __________
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GLENDALE ADOPTING A
MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION AND MITIGATION MONITORING AND REPORTING
PROGRAM PREPARED PURSUANT TO THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT FOR THE “GARDEN RIVER BRIDGE” PROJECT LOCATED AT THE LOS ANGELES
RIVER CHANNEL (LA RIVER) AT FLOWER STREET, CITY OF GLENDALE, AND ZOO
DRIVE IN THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES, LOS ANGELES COUNTY
WHEREAS, the City of Glendale, as lead agency, has caused to be prepared an initial study to identify potential environmental impacts of a project involving the construction of a new three-span, curvilinear, landscaped bridge across the LA River between the Cities of Los Angeles and Glendale for use by pedestrians and bicyclists located at the Los Angeles River Channel at Flower Street, City of Glendale, and Zoo Drive, in the City of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County (the “Project”); and
WHEREAS, the initial study revealed that there were no significant project impacts that could not be mitigated to a level of less than significant with mitigation measures incorporated and therefore a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) and a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) was prepared; and
WHEREAS, the MND and MMRP were made available for a 30-day public review and comment period from January 19, 2026 to February 17, 2026, inclusive, and two written comments were received; and
WHEREAS, on June 9, 2026, at a noticed City Council meeting, the City Council exercising its independent judgment, has read, reviewed and analyzed the Initial Study and all reports, appendices, and mitigation measures in connection with the MND for the Project, has considered public testimony, all the public comments received during the public comment period on the MND and MMRP, and reviewed responses to comments on the MND and MMRP, and based thereon the City Council finds and determines that the proposed MND and MMRP will reduce all impacts to a less than significant level and that the MND and MMRP were prepared in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act; and WHEREAS, the Glendale Public Works Department has been identified as the custodian of record for the MND and MMRP.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GLENDALE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The recitals as set forth above are true and correct.
SECTION 2. On the basis of the whole of the record including the Initial Study, the comments and responses thereto on the MND and MMRP and testimony received during hearings on the Project, there is no substantial evidence that the Project will have a significant effect on the environment that cannot be mitigated through the measures proposed for the Project.
2 Glendale – Los Angeles Garden River Bridge MND - MMRP Resolution 1 7
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3 SECTION 3. The MND and MMRP prepared for the bridge Project to be located over the Los Angeles River at Flower Street in Glendale and at Zoo Drive in the City of Los Angeles, is hereby adopted and approved as being prepared in conformance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) with the following mitigation measures imposed in the MMRP to reduce identified impacts to less than significant levels:
MITIGATION MONITORING AND REPORTING PROGRAM
BMP -1 Pre-Construction Nesting Bird Survey. Construction activities including the removal of western sycamore trees along Zoo Drive should be conducted outside avian nesting season pursuant to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The general avian nesting season for passerines is from February 1st to September 15th but can vary based on migratory patterns, species, weather patterns, etc. If the nesting season cannot be avoided, a qualified biologist shall conduct a nesting bird survey, including suitable habitat within a 500-foot radius, within three days prior to any disturbance of the site, including tree removal activities. If active nests are identified, the biologist will establish suitable buffers around the nests, and the buffer areas shall be avoided until the nests are no longer occupied and the juvenile birds can survive independently from the nests
.
Monitoring
Action:
Submittal of pre-construction nesting bird survey report to the City by a Qualified Biologist.
Timing: Prior to the issuance of grading permits for construction that would start any time between February 1st and September 15th.
Responsibility: Director of Community Development
Construction Manager/ Qualified Biologist
BMP -2 Pre-Construction Clearance Survey. Prior to the start of any ground-disturbing activities, a qualified biologist shall conduct a pre-construction survey of the Project site within two hours before the start of work to determine presence of the California legless lizard. If individuals are detected during the survey or encountered during construction, the individual shall be allowed to move out of harm’s way on its own, or if necessary, may be relocated by a qualified biologist to suitable upstream habitat within the LA River.
Monitoring
Action:
Submittal of pre-construction clearance survey report for California legless lizard to the City by a Qualified Biologist.
Timing: Prior to the start of any ground-disturbing activities. 3 Glendale – Los Angeles Garden River Bridge MND - MMRP Resolution 1 7
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3 Responsibility: Director of Community Development
Construction Manager/ Qualified Biologist
BMP -3 Bat Roost and Emergence Survey. Prior to the start of construction activities including the removal of western sycamore trees along Zoo Drive, a pre-construction survey for bat roosts shall be conducted by performing a daytime pedestrian survey to inspect potential habitat within 100 feet of the Project’s work area limits for indications of bat use (e.g., occupancy, guano staining, smells, or sounds) followed by a dusk emergence survey. The surveys shall be conducted by a qualified bat biologist. If it is determined habitat within the survey area is being used, or is likely to be used as a bat roost, and may be affected by construction activities, then specific measures will be developed and implemented to minimize potential impacts to the roost. Such measures may include minimizing construction activities near the roost during the bat maternity season (May 1st through August 15th) or other measures developed by the qualified biologist in coordination with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW).
Monitoring
Action:
Submittal of Bat Roost and Emergence Survey report to the City by a qualified biologist.
Timing: Prior to the issuance of any construction activities.
Responsibility: Director of Community Development
Construction Manager/ Qualified Biologist
BMP -4 Workers Environmental Awareness Program. Prior to Project implementation, a Workers Environmental Awareness Program (WEAP) shall be prepared and presented to construction crews regarding the potential for nesting birds and other special-status species to occur on site during construction activities. The WEAP training shall concentrate on the proper identification of sensitive resources while in the field, suggested strategies in avoiding impacts to sensitive resources, and proper reporting methods for field crews if sensitive resources are observed during construction activities.
Monitoring
Action:
Provide the sign in / attendance sheet to the City
demonstrating the WEAP was conducted by a Qualified
Biologist and that all construction workers attended.
.
Timing: Prior to the start of construction activities and throughout construction on an as needed basis as new construction
workers come to the site
Responsibility: Director of Community Development
Construction Manager/ Qualified Biologist
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3 BMP -5 Construction Noise. Construction noise best management practices (BMPs) shall be implemented to protect sensitive receptors (park users) and sound sensitive special-status species roosting and/or nesting in the LA River channel and adjacent habitat during construction (including excavation, pier construction, etc.). Such BMPs shall include requiring construction activities to be conducted in accordance with the applicable local noise regulations and standards and implementation of noise reduction techniques during construction activities, such as locating stationary construction noise sources as far from adjacent noise-sensitive receptors as possible.
A temporary mobile noise barriers shall be installed along the Project boundary where construction activity is currently active that is made of sound blanket, plywood or other solid material capable of reducing on-site construction noise levels by at least 9 dBA when measured from the outside of the barrier. In addition, all applicable equipment shall be fitted with proper/improved mufflers which will provide a reduction in construction noise levels by 6 dBA. (Can be combined BMP-7 as applicable).
Monitoring
Action:
Install temporary mobile noise barrier along Project boundary where construction is currently active.
Pre-construction & construction compliance monitoring memo prepared by qualified biologist to submit to the City.
Timing: Prior to start of construction activities and maintained during construction.
Responsibility: Director of Community Development
Construction Manager/ Qualified Biologist
BMP -6 Operational Lighting. Night lighting can disrupt the circadian rhythms of many wildlife species; therefore, if night lighting is required at Project entry points, low-level lighting shall be utilized and all non-essential lighting shall be eliminated. Additionally, the Project shall avoid or limit the use of artificial lighting during the hours of dawn and dusk as these windows of time are when many wildlife species are most active.
Monitoring
Action:
Use only low-level lighting if necessary at entry points. Pre- construction & construction compliance monitoring memo
prepared by qualified biologist to submit to the City.
Timing: Prior to start of construction activities and maintained during construction.
Responsibility: Director of Community Development
Construction Manager/ Qualified Biologist
BMP -7 Access Routes and Work Area. The Project shall establish and delineate work areas and access routes, within areas and routes within jurisdictional features, to minimize impacts to sensitive resources to the greatest extent feasible. 5 Glendale – Los Angeles Garden River Bridge MND - MMRP Resolution 1 7
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3 Monitoring
Action:
Delineate work areas and access routes within jurisdictional features. Pre-construction compliance monitoring memo
prepared by qualified biologist to submit to the City.
Timing: Prior to start of construction activities and maintained during construction.
Responsibility: Director of Community Development
Construction Manager/ Qualified Biologist
BMP -8Perimeter construction fencing shall be installed at a minimum height of 6 feet around construction areas to provide security to pedestrians and screen views of staging and construction areas.
Monitoring
Action:
Install 6-foot perimeter construction fencing. Pre-construction compliance monitoring memo prepared by qualified biologist to submit to the City.
Timing: Prior to start of construction activities and maintained during construction.
Responsibility: Director of Community Development
Construction Manager/ Qualified Biologist
BMP -9All 75 horsepower or greater diesel-powered equipment shall be powered by CARB- certified Tier 4 Interim engines, except where the contractor establishes that Tier 4 Interim equipment is not available.
Monitoring
Action:
Construction manager to submit construction equipment log to City confirming use of or attempted procurement of Tier 4 Interim equipment.
Timing: Prior to start of construction activities and maintained during construction.
Responsibility: Director of Community Development
Construction Manager/ Qualified Biologist
CR – 1 Archaeological Worker Environmental Awareness Program (WEAP). Prior to the start of construction, the Qualified Archaeologist or archaeological monitor shall conduct training for construction personnel regarding the appearance of archaeological resources and the procedures for notifying archaeological staff should archaeological resources be discovered by construction staff. In the event of an archaeological resource discovery by construction personnel, all work in the immediate vicinity of the find shall cease and a Qualified Archaeologist shall be contacted to evaluate the find before restarting work in the area. If it is determined 6 Glendale – Los Angeles Garden River Bridge MND - MMRP Resolution 1 7
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3 that the archaeological resource(s) is(are) scientifically significant, the archaeological monitor shall complete the Archaeological Assessment.
Archaeological Assessment. If a possible archaeological resource is uncovered during earthwork or construction, all work shall cease within a minimum distance of 50 feet from the find until a Qualified Archaeologist has been retained to evaluate the find in accordance with National Register and California Register criteria. The Qualified Archaeologist may adjust this avoidance area, ensuring appropriate temporary protection measures of the find are taken while also considering ongoing construction needs in the surrounding area. Temporary staking and delineation of the avoidance area shall be installed around the find in order to avoid any disturbance from construction equipment. Ground disturbance activities may continue unimpeded on other portions of the site outside the specified radius. Any potential archaeological resource or associated materials that are uncovered shall not be moved or collected by anyone other than an Archaeological Monitor or Qualified Archaeologist unless the materials have been determined to be non-unique archaeological resources, as defined in Public Resources Code Section 21083.1(h), by the Qualified Archaeologist.
The Qualified Archaeologist shall determine if the resources are unique archaeological resources as defined in Public Resources Code Section 21083.1(g).
Consistent with Public Resources Code Section 21083.2, the handling, treatment, preservation, and recordation of unique archaeological resources should occur as follows:
• The find should be preserved in place or left in an undisturbed state unless the project would damage the resource.
• When preserving in place or leaving in an undisturbed state is not possible, excavation and recovery of the find for scientific study should occur unless testing or studies already completed have adequately recovered the scientifically consequential information from and about the resource, and this determination is documented by a Qualified Archaeologist.
Ground disturbance activities in the area where resource(s) were found may recommence once the identified resources are properly assessed and processed by a Qualified Archaeologist. A report that describes the resources(s) and its disposition, as well as the assessment methodology, shall be prepared by the Qualified Archaeologist within 60 days of assessing the find and in accordance with current professional standards. If appropriate, the report should also contain the Qualified Archaeologist’s recommendations for the preservation, conservation, and curation of the resource at a suitable repository, such as the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, which shall be implemented. The Qualified Archaeologist shall submit the report to the City of Glendale and the SCCIC at the California State University, Fullerton. The report shall include all state and local requirements and shall be formatted and completed in accordance with the California Historic Resources Inventory System (CHRIS) document submittals standards. 7 Glendale – Los Angeles Garden River Bridge MND - MMRP Resolution 1 7
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3 Monitoring
Action:
Archaeological Worker Environmental Awareness
Program (WEAP).
Provide the sign in / attendance sheet to the City
demonstrating the WEAP was conducted by a Qualified
Archaeologist and that all construction workers attended.
Archaeological Assessment.
Qualified Archaeologist’s assessment report submitted to City.
Timing: Archaeological Worker Environmental Awareness
Program (WEAP).
Prior to the start of construction activities and throughout construction on an as needed basis as new construction
workers come to the site.
Archaeological Assessment.
A report that describes the resources(s) and its disposition, as well as the assessment methodology, shall be prepared by the Qualified Archaeologist within 60 days of assessing the find and in accordance with current professional
standards.
Responsibility: Director of Community Development
Construction Manager/ Qualified Archaeologist
TCT -1 Retain a Native American Monitor listed on the Native American Heritage Commission contact list Prior to Commencement of Ground-Disturbing Activities.
A. The lead agency shall retain a Native American Monitor from the Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC) contact list, selected by the Lead Agency in consultation with the consulting tribes. The monitor shall be retained prior to the commencement of any “ground-disturbing activity” for the subject project at all project locations (i.e., both on-site and any off-site locations that are included in the project description/definition and/or required in connection with the project, such as public improvement work). “Ground-disturbing activity” shall include, but is not limited to, clearing, demolition, pavement removal, potholing, auguring, grubbing, tree removal, stripping topsoil, boring, grading, excavating, digging, drilling, tunneling, blasting, quarrying, leveling, driving posts, and trenching or similar activity, and archaeological work.
B. A copy of the executed monitoring agreement shall be retained by the lead agency prior to commencement of any ground-disturbing activity, or the issuance of any permit necessary to commence a ground-disturbing activity.
C. The monitor will complete daily monitoring logs that will provide descriptions of the relevant ground-disturbing activities, the type of construction activities performed, locations of ground-disturbing activities, soil types, cultural-related materials, and any other facts, conditions, materials, or discoveries of significance to the consulting tribes. Monitor logs will identify and describe any discovered TCRs, including but not limited to, Native American cultural and historical artifacts, remains, places of significance, etc., (collectively, tribal cultural resources, or 8 Glendale – Los Angeles Garden River Bridge MND - MMRP Resolution 1 7
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3 “TCR”), as well as any discovered Native American (ancestral) human remains and burial goods. Copies of monitor logs will be provided to the lead agency and maintained as part of the project record upon written request to the consulting tribes, subject to applicable confidentiality requirements under CEQA and the California Public Resources Code.
D. On-site tribal monitoring shall conclude upon the latter of the following: (1) written confirmation to the consulting tribes from a designated point of contact for the lead agency that all ground-disturbing activities and phases that may involve ground- disturbing activities on the project site or in connection with the project are complete; or (2) a determination by the Lead Agency, informed by consultation with the consulting tribes, and written notification to the consulting tribes that no future, planned construction activity and/or development/construction phase at the project site possesses the potential to impact TCRs.
Monitoring
Action:
City to retain a copy of executed Native American monitoring agreement. Native American monitoring logs
Timing: Prior to start of construction activities.
Maintain throughout construction duration
Responsibility: Director of Community Development
Construction Manager/ Native American Monitor
TCR -2 Unanticipated Discovery of Tribal Cultural Resource Objects (Non- Funerary/Non-Ceremonial). Upon discovery of any TCRs, all construction activities in the immediate vicinity of the discovery (within a 60-foot buffer) shall cease and shall not resume until the discovered TCR has been fully assessed by the tribal monitor and/or a qualified archaeologist meeting Secretary of Interior standards (retained by lead agency). Work on the portions of the project site outside of the buffered area may continue during this assessment period. The TCR shall be retained by the archaeologist until the end of the project whereby the lead agency shall, in good faith, consult with the consulting tribes that requested consultation for the project on the disposition and treatment (which may include reinternment to an area where there will be no future ground disturbances) of any TCR(s) encountered during all ground disturbing activities.
Monitoring
Action:
Submittal of Monitoring Report to City
Timing: Throughout construction duration
Responsibility: Director of Community Development
Construction Manager/ Native American Monitor and
Qualified Archaeologist
TCR-3Prior to the issuance of demolition, grading or building permits for the project, the applicant shall submit written verification that a qualified archaeological monitor has been retained to monitor ground disturbance necessary to prepare the ground surface.
A. Native American human remains are defined in California Public Resources Code (PRC) Section 5097.98 (d)(1) as an inhumation or cremation, and in any state of 9 Glendale – Los Angeles Garden River Bridge MND - MMRP Resolution 1 7
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3 decomposition or skeletal completeness. Funerary objects, called associated grave goods in PRC Section 5097.98, are also to be treated according to this statute.
B. Human remains and grave/burial goods shall be treated alike per California Public Resources Code section 5097.98(d)(1) and (2).
C. If Native American human remains and/or grave goods are discovered or recognized on the project site, then PRC Section 5097.9 as well as California Health and Safety Code Section 7050.5 shall be followed. If human remains or funerary objects are encountered, work within the immediate vicinity (within 100- foot buffer of the find) shall cease and the County Coroner shall be contacted without delay. No photographs may be taken. If the County Coroner determines that the remains are Native American, the Coroner will contact the California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC), in accordance with subdivision (c) of Section 7050.5 of the California Health and Safety Code. If the relevant agencies conclude that avoidance of the site is not feasible, an alternative plan must be developed that outlines specific steps and a timeline for resuming construction activities. Monitoring, data recovery, determining the significance of the finds, and implementing avoidance measures (if necessary) must be carried out promptly, at the expense of the lead agency.
D. Preservation in place (avoidance with 100 foot boundary/buffer) is the preferred manner of treatment for discovered human remains and/or burial goods.
E. Any discovery of human remains/burial goods shall be kept confidential to prevent further disturbance.
Monitoring Action: Monitoring, data recovery, determining the significance of the finds, and implementing avoidance measures (if
necessary) must be carried out promptly, by the City.
Timing: Throughout construction duration.
Responsibility: Director of Community Development
County Coroner/ Native American Monitor and Qualified
Archaeologist
SECTION 4. The proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration prepared was published and duly noticed as required by law.
Adopted this __________ day of _______________, 2026.
___________________________________
Mayor
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3 ATTEST:
______________________________
City Clerk
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
) SS.
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES )
I, Dr. Suzie Abajian, Clerk of the City of Glendale, certify that the foregoing Resolution No. _____________ was adopted by the Council of the City of Glendale, California, at a regular meeting held on the __________ day of _______________, 2026, and that same was adopted by the following vote:
Ayes:
Noes:
Absent:
Abstain:
_______________________
City Clerk